Is reading speculative fiction just escapism? Or rather, is it just escapism?
Speculative fiction is an umbrella term for the genres of science fiction and fantasy, including their related off-shoots like steampunk and gothic horror.
And in answer to my question above, obviously reading speculative fiction is a form of escapism. And if that's the case, then writing it is even more so.
I have authored a few stories, both science fiction and fantasy (so far unpublished) and the joy I get from writing is so much more than any I gain from reading. Perhaps this is because of my initial reason for writing that first sentence of my first book all those years ago. And that reason was that I found everything I was reading at the time to be, I don't know, just a bit ordinary.
The sort of mind-numbing ordinary it was depressing to read. The sort of ordinary that didn't engage the imagination, and could hardly be called speculative at all.
And by this I am not implying that it was derivative - indeed, I consider all my writing to be derivative. Using the tools and tropes of established genres in new ways can be incredibly creative. No, my problem with what I was reading was that it was just bad.
There was no escapism there, so I found my own - and I'm seriously grateful I did.
And here is the answer to my reframed question above. Reading and writing speculative fiction can be mind-twisting, like when you finally get what Picasso was on about.
Escapism?
Yeah...
But nah.
Creative immersion in truly great speculative fiction is so much more than escapism. It is creation.
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Definitely provides a platform for a temporal escape from realities.
In historiography what is now called speculative fiction has previously been termed "historical invention" historical fiction and similar names.
I absolutely LOVE the art of story... Not an expert in it, just am an appreciator...
It's an interesting question, I think speculative fiction is most certainly escapism. A question that can be posed is of what benefit is escapism in the guise of speculative fiction. To which I would respond saying that it is of enormous benefit when you consider stress relief as well as the many things that it can teach us. Lord of the Rings for example is about World War II and Alice in Wonderland was about algebra. So not only can we learn about history from a first-hand perspective but we can also view modernity from the perspective of an outsider and therefore reassess and properly interrogate the ideas and opinions we hold about whatever issues are going on today. As a reader who is not endowed with the emotional understanding that many people are blessed with fiction in general certainly helps me navigate the world in deal with the people within it a little bit better.
It depends on who the reader is and what exactly they are reading. After I finish my collection of short stories, I would like to really get into this science fiction story I'm working on. I try to imagine exactly what the future might be like and part of me is evens cared to show anyone for fear of giving some bad ideas to bad people.... but I hope that showing the good people what we don't want to become might be worth it
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